Brazilian monitor Alagoas

The Pará-class monitors were designed to meet the need of the Brazilian Navy for small, shallow-draft armored ships capable of withstanding heavy fire. The monitor configuration was chosen as a turreted design did not have the same problems engaging enemy ships and fortifications as did the casemate ironclads already in Brazilian service. The oblong gun turret sat on a circular platform that had a central pivot. It was rotated by four men via a system of gears; 2.25 minutes were required for a full 360° rotation. A bronze ram was fitted to these ships as well. The hull was sheathed with Muntz metal to reduce biofouling.Gratz, p. 153

The ships measured {{convert|39|m|ftin|sp=us}} long overall, with a beam of {{convert|8.54|m|ftin|sp=us}}. They had a draft between of {{convert|1.51|-|1.54|m|ftin|sp=us}} and displaced {{convert|500|t|LT|sp=us}}. With only {{convert|0.3|m|ftin|sp=us}} of freeboard they had to be towed between Rio de Janeiro and their area of operations. Their crew numbered 43 officers and men.Gratz, p. 154

The Pará-class ships had two direct-acting steam engines, each driving a single {{convert|1.3|m|ftin|sp=us|adj=on}} propeller. Their engines were powered by two tubular boilers at a working pressure of {{convert|59|psi|kPa kg/cm2|0|abbr=on|lk=on}}. The engines produced a total of {{convert|180|ihp|lk=in}} which gave the monitors a maximum speed of {{convert|8|kn|lk=in}} in calm waters. The ships carried enough coal for one day's steaming.Gratz, pp. 154–56

File:Canoas paraguayas dando abordagem ao monitor ALAGOAS, nas proximidades das baterias do Timbó..jpgs approaching Alagoas, in the vicinity of Timbó batteries.]]

Alagoas carried a single 70-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle loader (RML) in her gun turret. The 70-pounder gun had a maximum elevation of 15°. It had a maximum range of {{convert|5540|m|yd|sp=us}}.Gratz, pp. 153–54 The 70-pounder gun weighed {{convert|8582|lb|kg|1}} and fired a {{convert|5.5|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}} shell that weighed {{convert|81|lb|kg|1}}.Holley, p. 34 Most unusually the gun's Brazilian-designed iron carriage was designed to pivot vertically at the muzzle; this was done to minimize the size of the gunport through which splinters and shells could enter.Gratz, p. 155

The hull of the Pará-class ships was made from three layers of wood that alternated in orientation. It was {{convert|457|mm|in|sp=us|1}} thick and was capped with a {{convert|102|mm|in|sp=us|0|adj=on}} layer of peroba hardwood. The ships had a complete wrought iron waterline belt, {{convert|0.91|m|ft|sp=us|1}} high. It had a maximum thickness of 102 millimeters amidships, decreasing to {{convert|76|mm|in|sp=us|0}} and {{convert|51|mm|in|sp=us|0}} at the ship's ends. The curved deck was armored with {{convert|12.7|mm|in|sp=us|1}} of wrought iron.

The gun turret was shaped like a rectangle with rounded corners. It was built much like the hull, but the front of the turret was protected by {{convert|152|mm|in|sp=us|0}} of armor, the sides by 102 millimeters and the rear by 76 millimeters. Its roof and the exposed portions of the platform it rested upon were protected by 12.7 millimeters of armor. The armored pilothouse was positioned ahead of the turret.

File:O Alagoas passando Humayta.png. Note the low profile presented to enemy artillery. (From a soldier's photographic album.)Preserved at the National Library of Brazil.]]

Alagoas was laid down at the Arsenal de Marinha da Corte in Rio de Janeiro on 8 December 1866, during the Paraguayan War, which saw Argentina, Uruguay and the Empire of Brazil allied against Paraguay. She was launched on 29 October 1867 and completed in November 1867. She arrived on the Paraná River in January 1868, although her passage further north was barred by the Paraguayan fortifications at Humaitá. On 19 February 1868, six Brazilian ironclads, including Alagoas, steamed past Humaitá at night. Alagoas and her two sister ships, {{ship|Brazilian monitor|Rio Grande||2}} and {{ship|Brazilian monitor|Pará||2}} were lashed to the larger ironclads in case any engines were disabled by the Paraguayan guns. {{ship|Brazilian ironclad|Barroso||2}} led with Rio Grande, followed by {{ship|Brazilian monitor|Bahia||2}} with Alagoas and {{ship|Brazilian ironclad|Tamandaré||2}} with Pará.Gratz, pp. 149–50

The cable tying Alagoas to Bahia was severed by Paraguayan shells and the monitor drifted down below the guns. The commander of the Alagoas was ordered not to attempt to pass the guns during daylight, but disregarded this order and successfully rendezvoused with the rest of the squadron upstream of the fortifications.Scheina, p. 327 Both Alagoas, which had taken an estimated 200 hits, and Pará had to be beached after passing the fortress to prevent them from sinking. Alagoas was under repair at São José do Cerrito until mid-March. Accompanied by Tamandaré, Alagoas bombarded and destroyed the Paraguayan artillery battery at Timbó, upstream of Humaitá, on 23 March. The monitor bombarded artillery positions defending the Tebicuary River in July and again in August.

On 15 October she bombarded Angostura Fort, south of Asunción, in company with {{ship|Brazilian ironclad|Brasil||2}}, {{ship|Brazilian ironclad|Silvado||2}}, Pará and her sister {{ship|Brazilian monitor|Ceará||2}}.Gratz, pp. 149, 157

After the war Alagoas was assigned to the newly formed Alto Uruguay Flotilla, based at Itaqui. In the 1880s the ship's armament was reinforced with a pair of {{convert|11|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} machine guns. Alagoas was transferred to Rio de Janeiro in the 1890s and joined the rebels in the Navy Revolt of 1893–94. Her engines had been removed by this point and she had to be towed into position to fire on the government forts. She was scrapped in 1900.Gratz, p. 157

The article Passage of Humaitá contains contemporaneous descriptions of Alagoas and her sister monitors by captain Richard Burton and colonel George Thompson.

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book|title=Warship 1999–2000|editor=Preston, Antony|chapter=The Brazilian Imperial Navy Ironclads, 1865–1874|author=Gratz, George A.|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|year=1999|isbn=0-85177-724-4}}
• {{cite book|last=Holley|first=Alexander Lyman|title=A Treatise on Ordnance and Armor|url=https://archive.org/details/treatiseonordnan00hollrich|year=1865|publisher=D. Van Nostrand|location=New York}}
• {{cite book|last=Scheina|first=Robert L.|title=Latin America's Wars: The Age of the Caudillo, 1791–1899|year=2003|publisher=Brassey's|location=Dulls, Virginia|isbn=1-57488-449-2}}

• [http://www.naval.com.br/ngb/A/A018/A018.htm Brief history of Alagoas] {{in lang|pt}}

{{Pará class ironclad}}

{{Brazilian ironclads}}

{{1868 shipwrecks}}

{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alagoas}}

Category:Ships built in Brazil

Category:1867 ships

Category:Pará-class monitors

Category:Maritime incidents in February 1868